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Merging Reference design and Prototype
editThe two concepts - prototype - and reference designs while similar - are distinctly different items. A reference design is more of a recipe - a description of how someone would build something. A prototype is the embodiment of that recipe - an first version of the intended final product.
Another key difference between prototype and reference design is the ownership. A prototype is typically owned by the creator. The creator may keep a prototype secret so that others cannot copy his design. Reference Designs are by definition "reference" and are intended to be copied by others.
Another key difference is prototype is singular, and reference designs are plural. Reference designs, to be of value, have to present a set of designs for the customer to choose from. —Preceding unsigned comment added by Unmv ob guy (talk • contribs) 14:52, 11 September 2007 (UTC)
I agree with the above. I believe that reference design is unrelated to prototype, at least in any way more specific than both belonging to the discipline of product development.
6birc (talk) 22:18, 16 June 2008 (UTC)
ANs
editArticle could do with mentioning 'application notes' which are the usual name for componenet mfr's reference designs. A link to eg Linear's ANs wouldn't go amiss. Tabby (talk) 10:02, 2 July 2011 (UTC)